PORT CHARLOTTE -- A local man is gearing up to feed hundreds of people along the Florida Panhandle affected by Hurricane Michael.
Brett Cox from Cape Coral is a volunteer with the Cajun Army, an organization that feeds and helps rebuild homes of people who survive natural disasters.
"There’s people emerging from houses that shouldn’t even be standing. So, those are the people we’re looking for," said Cox as he shopped for groceries in Port Charlotte to take to Panama City tomorrow.
He filled about ten carts with food to feed about 500 people twice a day for at least three days. And they're cooking the food. He and other volunteers will provide lunch and dinner every day, including barbecued burgers, green beans, potato salad and water. He was able to collect $1,500 from donations in Southwest Florida. The food purchased today came to the grand total of $1,805. He said he and friends donated the rest from their own funds.
He said he's motivated by the goodness in his heart.
"Everyone will need help at some point in their life. So, if I can give it..when I can I’ll do it. When I need it, hopefully it’ll come back to me," Cox said.
And he said he's realistic with his mission.
"I can’t save Panama City. I can’t save Mexico Beach. I can’t save anything up there. But I can certainly give hope," he said.
Hope for necessities like food and fuel. Cox said a friend told him people have to wait for up to nine hours to gas up at local stations in Panama City. So he's filling up here and giving out 90 gallons of gas to people who need it.
This isn't the first time he's lent a helping hand. He's fed people in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston and right here in Southwest Florida after Irma.
Cox and his friend Mark plan to make the eight hour drive to Panama City at four o'clock tomorrow morning. They plan to drive across the Panhandle to help people in Mexico Beach and other cities impacted by Hurricane Michael.
